Unexpected charge from Avanti

[lrbvoyager]

Hi there, Avanti have charged me £2.99 when I have made no transactions with them at all. They have also randomly charged my friends 99p numerous times randomly. What should I do?

 

[AlterEgo]

When did the transactions occur?

 

[bcarmicle]

1. Did you travel on the rail network, or purchase rail tickets, around the dates that you were charged?
2. Have the charges posted or are they pending transactions? If they are pending, sometimes the merchant name is incorrect, and I would wait a few days to see what it finalises as.
3. Is there any possibility that you bought items from an on-board trolley or shop?
4. Does the bank statement show any reference as to what the transaction might be?
5. Is the charge definitely from Avanti West Coast and not another company by a similar name? (There is at least an insurer by the same name, though I would be surprised if they were charging you such low amounts)

If there is no plausible reason that Avanti could have charged you, then I would challenge the transaction with your bank/credit card issuer stating that you don't recognise it.

 

[realemil]

I'm not sure that the area of the forum you posted this to is the best place.

Nor is posting this at all here great advice either if you suspect it's fraud.

Have you ever reached out to Avanti and asked them about it...?

Freeze your card if you suspect it's being used fraudulently.

 

[Horizon22]

99p charges tend to be those to do with fraud and they are testing it out. You - and your friends - should contact your bank immediately.

 

[lrbvoyager]

When did the transactions occur?

Yesterday

 

[AlterEgo]

Yesterday

I'd call your bank immediately. These may be test transactions by fraudsters to check they have the correct card details.

 

[lrbvoyager]

99p charges tend to be those to do with fraud and they are testing it out. You - and your friends - should contact your bank immediately.

They charges have came from Avanti west coast and they came out after I’d brought tickets. So I had one charge for £16.75 then 20 mins later £2.99 from the same company, Avanti west coast.

 

[Darandio]

They charges have came from Avanti west coast and they came out after I’d brought tickets. So I had one charge for £16.75 then 20 mins later £2.99 from the same company, Avanti west coast.

So did you buy initially buy tickets from Avanti or not? As in the opening post you said you categorically hadn't.

 

[Merseysider]

I have made no transactions with them at all.

after I’d brought [sic (bought) ] tickets. So I had one charge for £16.75 then 20 mins later £2.99 from the same company, Avanti west coast.

So which website / company did you buy tickets from?

 

[Horizon22]

They charges have came from Avanti west coast and they came out after I’d brought tickets. So I had one charge for £16.75 then 20 mins later £2.99 from the same company, Avanti west coast.

You said you had made "no transactions with them at all". We can't advise if you then say something competely different.

 

[Titfield]

The OP could always contact Avanti West Coast and ask them.

I would have thought this was the most obvious first step before looking at other possible courses of action.

 

[yorkie]

Hi there, Avanti have charged me £2.99 when I have made no transactions with them at all. They have also randomly charged my friends 99p numerous times randomly. What should I do?

Are these credit/debit card transactions?

Could anyone have your card details?

If I were you, I would immediately freeze any potentially affected card(s) and contact the bank.

When did you last buy anything from Avanti? Above you said you have made no transactions at all, but you later said you "brought tickets"; are you saying you bought tickets from Avanti or another provider?

 

[WesternLancer]

The OP could always contact Avanti West Coast and ask them.

I would have thought this was the most obvious first step before looking at other possible courses of action.

But surely better to contact your bank first, then Avanti. If for no other reason than speed of response.

 

[lrbvoyager]

So did you buy initially buy tickets from Avanti or not? As in the opening post you said you categorically hadn't.

I had but they took that amount out.

 

[Titfield]

But surely better to contact your bank first, then Avanti. If for no other reason than speed of response.

Yes but given it’s been three hours since the op first posted …..

 

[Hadders]

If you think there are suspect transactions on your account then you should take these up with your bank in the first instance.

 

[skyhigh]

I had but they took that amount out.

So you have made transactions with Avanti? It's impossible to give useful advice with inaccurate information.

 

[lrbvoyager]

So you have made transactions with Avanti? It's impossible to give useful advice with inaccurate information.

As I said I bought tickets and the cost of them came out. Then around 29 mins later £2.99 came out and I hadn’t bought anything for 2.99.

 

[tram21]

If you have purchased with them then it is very likely a hold on your card or similar. Is it pending? Either way it should be returned to you within a week or so.

Any concerns I recommend calling Avanti, but given you have made a purchase give it a week or so (unless anyone thinks differently!)

 

[Merseysider]

Avanti have charged me £2.99 when I have made no transactions with them at all

As I said I bought tickets and the cost of them came out. Then around 29 mins later £2.99 came out

Did you or did you not purchase tickets from Avanti? We cannot give you accurate advice if you keep changing your story.

First point of contact should be your bank to see if they have any more information.

Second point of contact should be Avanti customer services. They reply very quickly on Twitter (X) when a DM conversation is started.

 

[lrbvoyager]

Did you or did you not purchase tickets from Avanti? We cannot give you accurate advice if you keep changing your story.

First point of contact should be your bank to see if they have any more information.

Second point of contact should be Avanti customer services. They reply very quickly on Twitter (X) when a DM conversation is started.

I don’t know what there is not for you to understand. I haven’t changed my story as I have said twice now I bought my tickets and that amount came out which is fine. What isn’t fine is the 2.99 that they took out 20 mins later, I had not bought anything from them which is 2.99.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Nov 2025 ==

If you have purchased with them then it is very likely a hold on your card or similar. Is it pending? Either way it should be returned to you within a week or so.

Any concerns I recommend calling Avanti, but given you have made a purchase give it a week or so (unless anyone thinks differently!)

Thank you very much! I will give it a week and see what happens.

 

[John R]

I don’t know what there is not for you to understand. I haven’t changed my story

Maybe your opening statement that you have made no transactions with them at all? That’s pretty clear and definitive and wasn’t caveated at all in your opening post.

 

[lrbvoyager]

Maybe your opening statement that you have made no transactions with them at all? That’s pretty clear and definitive and wasn’t caveated at all in your opening post.

No transaction that was 2.99.

 

[yorkie]

No transaction that was 2.99.

This is different to what you said originally, hence the confusion.